Stereo vs Wet/Dry - your choice and why?

maltingsaudio

@WiresDreamDisasters it’s all about communication 

rsvmark

Wet dry for me. Wet amp is TR CRS with a 2 x12 and dry is either a 1x12 ss combo or Marshall JTM60 and a 4x10. It is a monster but rarely in use! I used to go mono and 4cm into just 1 amp but was inspired to go wet dry by a TPS show and don’t regret it. It just does something to lift the sound and make it bigger. Tbh I haven’t tried stereo as most of my fx are mono. While there is an h9 at the end of the chain doing delays and modulation, I haven’t felt the need to try it out. Most patches have the expression pedal hooked in to add effect on the wet side on the fly. 

sjo89

rsvmark said:

Wet dry for me. Wet amp is TR CRS with a 2 x12 and dry is either a 1x12 ss combo or Marshall JTM60 and a 4x10. It is a monster but rarely in use! I used to go mono and 4cm into just 1 amp but was inspired to go wet dry by a TPS show and don’t regret it. It just does something to lift the sound and make it bigger. Tbh I haven’t tried stereo as most of my fx are mono. While there is an h9 at the end of the chain doing delays and modulation, I haven’t felt the need to try it out. Most patches have the expression pedal hooked in to add effect on the wet side on the fly. 

very cool.

I'm experimenting with wet/wet - both amps get the same dry signal then one amp might have modulation in it, the other delay, or one might have 1/4 delay, the other dotted 1/8 with reverb - liking it so far and i also like the idea that if for some reason volume of amps isn't matched it won't be as big a problem as it would be for a pure wet/dry rig .

Gassage

Ok, I have a 4 amp rig (albeit one is a spinny Leslie thing) and I have found, through trail and error, that having 3 different mono amps that you can blend into each other with different voicings of gain and clean and so on is miles more appealing than messing around with a million cables and so on for very little real sonic difference

Dominic

^ Yup totally agree with the Gasser on that one
it's much simpler and works well

sjo89

So the experiment continues. Took both my amps along to try my new wet/wet setup and have to say I think it actually ended up being the worst of both worlds! As is often the way when you set up presets at low volume at home, when you get to crank em they sound and react very differently and the main takeaway was how much wetter and mushier everything sounded.

I also realised I need more headroom in at least one of my amps!

So, as ever, whilst something may sound great alone at home, in a live band situation with everything ear splittingly loud, less is more.

Defo gonna try a more "pure" wet/dry approach, maybe even putting my modulation in only one amp. There's another guitarist in the band too and it just sound messy tonight.

Heck, it may turn out that good ole mono is the best option for my situation.

Handsome_Chris

Gassage said:

Ok, I have a 4 amp rig (albeit one is a spinny Leslie thing) and I have found, through trail and error, that having 3 different mono amps that you can blend into each other with different voicings of gain and clean and so on is miles more appealing than messing around with a million cables and so on for very little real sonic difference

How does that work for live work?

maltingsaudio

This might be interesting https://fb.me/e/1lmPJ2iKa

CaseOfAce

Neither is my preference if we are talking about playing live.

1) it's more gear to lug around - and I'm bone idle - after I've schlepped in a 40 lb amp, a 40 lb monitor speaker and a packed gig bag full of leads, pedals + a gig bag with 2 x 8lb guitars in after leaving a muddy, puddled car park 50 yards away in pitch dark, walking thru the club or pub dodging punters, tables, chairs, dogs and children up onto a stage littered with my drummer's gear - the last thing I need is more gear to haul in and out of the venue. I also like my ankles un-sprained and don't enjoy spilling bloke's pints... 
which leads to

2) the audience doesn't care. Really. Truly  a toss is not given as to what sound you are producing as a guitarist as long as you are in tune, not too loud, roughly in the ball park playing the chords of the song and not drowning out the the vocals.

Let's be honest here - wet, dry and stereo rigs for the weekend warrior is for your personal amusement and your's alone. 
If I'm Joe Perry, have roadies and playing arenas - I'll have the 8 cranked vintage amps and a Bradshaw rig up on stage with 20 guitars. I'm not.

3) half the time the "stage" is barely room enough for a duo - let along a 4 piece band with mixing desk and PA. |'ve played places where I've been lucky to fit my amp behind and a BCB30 3 pedal boss pedalboard and mic stand in front.
and finally 

4) I don't want the bass player hearing more guitar his side of the stage. Maybe this is a peculiar circumstance for me - but I fear I'm not alone - the moment my bass player discerns in any way my guitar is of a similar decibel to his bass - up goes his volume. At which point it's Volume Wars - Part 75. I can't begin to tell you what a ballache that is.. suddenly a half decent band mix out front has just gone for a burton. I now deliberately angle my amp at a precise 90 degrees to his side of the stage. Problem solved.